Bill Murray is iconic for his cult classic films, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, and Groundhog Day, to name a few. And of course, ever since 1998, when he starred in Wes Anderson's breakout hit, Rushmore, he's been inseparable from the indie-auteur director, appearing in nine of Anderson's 10 full-length films to date. Murray made headlines once again this summer when he announced that he'll join his 10th of Anderson's films, hot on the heels of the Cannes debut of their latest collaboration, The French Dispatch. By all measures, it's hard to imagine Murray has any downtime at all.
Yet behind the scenes, the legendary comedian and actor appears to have a rich life that extends far beyond filmmaking. A father of six sons ranging in age from 20-39, he's a doting dad who cheers for his kids from the sidelines. And, in the case of one of his sons—his second-born, Luke Murray—we mean that literally. Now 36, Luke has enjoyed a thriving career as a college basketball coach and recruiter, and his dad has been there to support him every step of the way. Read on to see the rising sports star now, and to hear the shocking confession he recently gave to his actor dad during an interview with ESPN.
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Luke is a big name in college basketball.
Mitchell Layton/Getty ImagesLuke Murray hasn't followed his father's footsteps into Hollywood, but like his dad, he seems right at home in front of throngs of cheering fans. Since 2007, he's been rising in the ranks of college basketball as a coach and recruiter—a career path that's thrust him into the spotlight on more than one occasion.
Most recently, Luke joined the University of Connecticut's staff as assistant coach this year. "Luke has a high level of experience as a coach and as a recruiter; he is someone I have a lot of confidence in," said the program’s head coach, Dan Hurley, in a statement. "He has an extremely smart and talented basketball mind and has the commitment level and passion that we need to elevate this program to the championship level where UConn should be," he added.
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In fact, ESPN named him one of the top 10 coaches under 40.
Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesBefore landing with UConn, Luke’s 13-year basketball career included stops at Xavier, Wagner, Quinnipiac, Post University, and the University of Louisville. During this time, he earned a reputation as one of the top recruiters in college basketball, and was even ranked by ESPN as one of the top 10 college coaches under 40. Additionally, The Athletic named him one of 40 influential people in college basketball under 40, and 247Sports listed him as one of the top five recruiters in the nation.
Though he and his father work in different fields, Luke credits his dad’s influence for his work ethic and sense of professional perspective. “I think a lot of times people in athletics become so kind of centralized on...sports,” he said, while speaking with ESPN. “For me, I try to have a broader scope, and I think that comes from him,” he said, referring to his dad. He also drew parallels between their work styles. “I think he’s competitive in his own field, and I think I’m that way in basketball,” he added.
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Luke gets his love of the game from his dad.
Elsa/Getty ImagesThough they root for different basketball teams—Luke is a Knicks fan while his A-list dad is a Bulls fan—the pair have bonded over their love of the game. In fact, Luke says it was his dad who first inspired his interest in it. “My family, [they’re] big sports fans. My dad, he’s one of nine so I have six uncles that love the game as well. I grew up in New York, so I started going to New York Knicks games when I was a kid, and that was probably the start of it,” he recalled in a 2018 press conference.
Bill Murray is often photographed cheering for his son from the stands, or sitting courtside with his son at NBA games. “You know, as a parent you’re proud when you think they might be able to earn their own living. That’s the first flood of emotion that hit me,” said the Groundhog Day star when asked what he thinks of Luke’s career. “And then after that I thought that I still have two years of eligibility left,” he quipped, revealing the slightest hint of a smile.
Luke recently made a shocking confession to his dad.
Hunter Martin/Getty Images)Though the father and son duo clearly support one another's careers, Luke made a shocking admission during a recent interview: he’s never seen his father’s cult classic film, Caddyshack. “I’ve heard it’s good!” he told ESPN basketball reporter Jeff Goodman.
Moments later, Goodman sat the pair down to clear the air with a formal confession. “I’ve never seen Caddyshack, I’m sorry. But um, I made a vow to Jeff earlier that I would watch it,” Luke admitted, channeling his dad's famous deadpan tone. “Well I’m glad you feel good enough about it to make a vow to Jeff,” the actor teased in response.
Classic Bill Murray, if you ask us.
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